The present invention relates to image processing devices and more particularly to document handling on image processing devices.
Image processing devices are generally exemplified by copy machines, printers, facsimile machines, annotators, scanners, etc. These and like devices have document handlers or feeders for moving documents past an image processing element such as a photocell to capture an image for copying, printing, sending, storing, etc., a document or a printhead to print on the document.
As seen on current copy machines, document handlers and feeders can be quite sophisticated. They move a document to be copied from a stack in a hopper or feed mechanism to over the glass platen for copying and back into a stack. For example, if paper runs out during copying of a stack, the copier recalls the location at which processing stopped and allows the user to go back to the location when paper is replenished. The known document handlers also make two sided copying easy by copying one side of a sheet, holding the copied sheets, then turning over the documents and copying the second side of the document onto the backs of the copies so that the copies identically replicate the document.
To obtain two sided processing, however, the document must be presented as a two sided document by the user. If not preselected, the second sides need to be processed separately and integrated into the first sides, or they are simply missed and excluded from the processing.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to ensure that documents having second side images are properly processed in an image processing device.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention which relates to an improvement in an image processing device comprising an image detector for determining whether an image appears on the second side of a document being processed. If an image does appear, the image processing device will process the second side of the document either through user notification and intervention or automatically.
It is further contemplated as an improvement to an image processing device to include an image sensor on the first side of the document being processed so that if no image appears thereon it need not be processed.